Never Be Alone
by odalys-ortiz
Summary: Ellie has been called away on a mission to deliver supplies to another station. After a few nightmares, Isaac begins to wonder whether being together is the safest way to go. Isaac/Ellie pairing.
1. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own the property of Dead Space in any media form that it has been released in. I'm just a writer with a huge fangirl crush on Isaac and am content to write anything that is for the Isaac/Ellie pairing. If you aren't into that, don't read my stuff. Enjoy:)

Chapter 1: Nightmares_  
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_The smell from the blood was overpowering. The stench coming off of the bodies would make anyone puke. For Isaac however, he didn't have that luxury. Right now, he was running through the metal hallway of an unknown ship, blood sprayed across the walls. He was running over body after body of the crew members that were unfortunately ill-prepared for what was to happened to them. _

_Isaac was in a bit of a bind because his hands were full. In his right, his trusty plasma cutter was aimed as best he could at oncoming Slashers that were seemingly coming from everywhere. He needed to make sure that each bullet counted as shot after shot ripped through the disfigured flesh of the Necromorphs. In his other hand however was something more precious to him. His other hand was clasping the wrist of the only other survivor of the attack. _

_With her typical attitude, Ellie Langford tried to do her best to help Isaac out as her own free hand had a plasma cutter of her own. They could feel their lungs burn like they were on fire, but to stop would mean death for the both of them. They were on constant alert, making sure that their eyes were looking every which way when the coast seemed clear. After Titan Station, they both knew that these monsters were smarter then they looked. _

_The hall just seemed like it went on for eons and both were just hoping for a way out. Turning the corner, Isaac got the shock of his life and instincts kicked in as he back pedaled behind the corner and pushed Ellie behind him. Peeking around, he confirmed that there was a Guardian blocking the way to the cockpit. "Damn things, always got to be in the way when you're in a hurry" Isaac said frustrated. _

_"Isaac, I think I got something for our little friend. Searching through her pants, she found one last grenade that was sure to do the job. "Fire in the hole," she said as she moved around him. Taking a peek around the corner to make sure where it was, she quickly pulled the pin and tossed it in the direction of the Guardian. Hiding behind Isaac, they both waited anxiously for the inevitable result. _

_The explosion ripped the deformed human apart and did the job that they needed. Isaac and Ellie watched as the chunks of flesh blew past them. When everything died down, Isaac took another look. When the smoke cleared, the target was down. "Let's go," they got up from the crouched position and made their way to the door. Ellie moved ahead of Isaac to put the code in as Isaac watched her back. "Got it." As Isaac turned around to follow her in, he could feel something warm hit his face. _

_His eyes were covered by a crimsom mist. Clearing it away with the back of his hand, his eyes finally focused on Ellie, whose expression was that of despair. As Isaac looked down, he could see that she had been impaled through her stomach by a Slasher's blade and it dug deeper into her body. Ellie coughed up a massive amount of blood and tried to reach for Isaac to get his help dropping her gun in the building pool on the floor. His body couldn't move however. It was as if someone had immobilized him with some sort of spell. All he could see was her face, begging for him "Isaac…it hurts." _

_"Ellie, no!"_

The image of her dying blurred with the real world as Isaac shot up from his bed, sweat dripping all over him and the bed covers all but discarded on the floor. He could feel his heart beating fiercely inside his chest and he had to take deep breaths to calm down. Once everything finally settled down, he looked around the apartment. "Damn nightmares" he said with frustrations.

It had actually not been the only time he had this type of nightmare where his best friend ended up dead when he was suppose to protect her. It had all started when Ellie had let Isaac know that she was going to be doing a job where she would have to be gone for a couple of days. Unlike most men in her life, Isaac had given her his blessing without any sort of argue. In reality they both knew what the other was capable of and would only speak up with it was necessary.

This little arrangement made living together quite bearable. The jobs that they did would be dangerous in a sense, of course none of them would involve another Necromorph outbreak. They would be dirty. In the end, they paid well and gave them the feel of a normal life. Ever since they took refugee from the government in the Oracle Space Station, people were in their debt. The station had been suffering multiple failures in their equipment, yet somehow it was still able to operate because nothing major, such as the reactor, was in danger.

The people were telling Isaac and Ellie that the station itself had been supported by EarthGov. At first, they thought that they had made a mistake landing here. That was until they were also informed by an EarthGov superior that the station was too much of a hassle to continue to look after it and to fend for their own supplies. That's how it had been for 3 years. Isaac was able to earn the appointed leader's trust by making a single repair in minutes that brought lights to a whole sector that had been disable for weeks.

Impressed with his ability, the leader offered them both work and also a place to stay free of charge. Of course Isaac and Ellie were more then grateful. Running for a long time would make a person tired for sure and long for a hot shower and a warm bed. Life at the station was pleasant to their surprise. With work to keep them occupied, the days just seemed to fly by in a breeze. Things were uneventful until a few months later; Ellie came into the apartment that they had been sharing and needed to talk to Isaac about a job she was asked to do.

He was curious because Ellie would never tell him something from work unless it was out of the ordinary and unusual. She usually was assigned to move supplies from one section to the other on the station itself. This was not that type of mission. Ellie explained that one of the regular flyers that would do the longer trips to other stations injured his arm in an accident and couldn't fly. Isaac had known where this was going. It wasn't hard to figure out that she would have to take over since she's the only other person with the skills to make it anywhere. She proceeded to inform Isaac that the trip to Oracles' sister station Athena would take 2 weeks.

That would be the longest she would ever be away from him. Isaac processed the information in his head. The first thought of going with her was immediately ignore because he wouldn't have the authorization to co-pilot with her despite his minor experiences. Despite having the fullest trust in her, he couldn't help but be worried for her anyway. They had spent so much time together. Through it all he had felt something more then a friendship and he couldn't lose her now in hopes of finding out was it really was.

Even despite the feelings of dread that she would be ambushed somehow in the middle of space, he told her that it was okay and for her to just be careful. He noticed the slight look of surprise in her eyes, but she was grateful. They went to bed at the same time they always did afterwards to get their energy up for work. The next morning Ellie was getting ready to head off to her mission. "Isaac, are you sure you're okay with this?" He sat down on the stool and drank a cup of coffee. "Of course I'm not" he said as he smile, causing Ellie to do the same. "But I'm not gonna stop you. I probably couldn't do it if I tried." Ellie nodded and grabbed her bad.

She was about to head out the door before Isaac stopped her. He put the coffee down and walked up to her in nothing but his t-shirt and shorts that he always slept in. Without warning, he drew his arms around Ellie and pulled her to him. The bag fell from Ellie's right hand as she wrapped them around Isaac's broad shoulders. "Ellie, when you get back, there is something that I want to talk to you about okay?" She looked up to him and noted the serious look in his dark eyes. "Alright Isaac, we'll talk when I get back." They pulled apart and Ellie left with a wave as Isaac just stood there. He just couldn't tell her about the nightmares he was having about her and how much it was killing him inside. All he could do now was wait the two weeks it would take her to finish and hope that he would have all his facts straight before chatting again with her.

A/N: So yes, this will be only two chapters. Apologies to anyone who's sick of the fluff between Isaac and Ellie, but I just can't help myself:D


	2. We Have to Stay Together

Disclaimer: Same old stuff as before. DS franchise belongs to EA and Visceral and Blah Blah Blah. P.S. Plz don't let them kill off Ellie in DS 3. I hate it when the main character's love interest gets killed.

Chapter 2: We Have to Stay Together

"_Ellie, please don't make me do this." Isaac was hopelessly outsmarted. He had tried so hard to be careful, but in the end he failed. He was sitting down, he back against the cold steel of the wall of the ship. He suit had be decimated to the point that bits and pieces were falling off, yet he was still alive. His left arm laid by his side, unable to feel anything, possibly due to the hit he took from a leaper claw that had caught him off guard. _

_Somehow, it felt like he couldn't win and now with what he was up against, he was sure that the statement was true. "Rawr!" the Slasher growl as it grew closer. The blades on the ends of its arms sharp enough to cut through bone without mercy. Isaac's experience with these creature in the past told him that much. Adrenaline coursing through his vains, he raised the plasma cutter with his left hand. _

_The laser guides were pointing right at the point where the arms met the body, the key to the Necromorphs' weakness. All he had to do was pull the trigger and the Slasher would be dead. Seconds passed but he couldn't squeeze the trigger. His eyes caught something in the creature's features that caused a suddenly realization. Under the deform flesh of the appendages for the arm, Isaac spotted something peeking out from beneath. _

_The blue cloth that was still left from the body before it had transformed was from a Unitologist bracelet. It was then that he realized that the monster that was intent on ending his life, was the person who he had trusted his life with the most. Ellie's body had been discovered by an infector and now they turn her into his enemy. Looking up to the face, Isaac could see the truth. _

_Through the disfigured flesh that had been transformed into a walking weapon, he saw the eyes. His heart dropped as he could see that they were crying. Ellie was begging for him to kill her. He just couldn't do it. The plasma cutter fell from his hand and it bounced off the floor. "I'm sorry, I can't do it Ellie." The distance between them finally closed in as the Slasher began to chew on Isaac's jugular as he silently accepted his death._

His eyes opened as Isaac tried to focus on something to figure out if it was another dream. As he watched the stars outside the station, he knew that it had been just that. Ellie had been gone for almost 2 weeks and he had no sort of update as to what was going on. When he got the chance this morning he went and talked to Ellie's flight crew. After asking a few people, they explained to him that the mission that Ellie was doing was going to take a while to complete since the Athena station was quite a ways away.

They confirm though that they have received transmissions from her saying that she was alright and made it to the station in one piece and was heading back. Isaac couldn't be sure if they were telling the truth or just saying that to cover up a potential problem in the mission. All he could do was head on home and wait like he has been doing since she left. The nightmares weren't the only thing that was bothering him, even though it was really the worst of it all. It was just how quiet it was in the apartment that he shared with her.

Isaac got used to talking to Ellie and neither of them would stop until late in the night, even when they couldn't think of anything else to talk about. He was done trying to sleep. Thankfully his day off was tomorrow so he could afford not going to sleep right away. Pulling the covers away, Isaac drug his body to the kitchen counter. He was wearing nothing but shorts. He consciously decided to do this because whenever he would see his reflection in the mirror, he would be reminded of the nightmares that he went through because of his numerous jagged wounds from the Necromorph encounters that he has had in the last three years. Finding a large mug in a counter above the sink, he grabbed himself a cup of coffee.

The technology in this day and age allowed anyone to be able to perform simple task like making coffee, even a guy like Isaac who never made one in his life. The only illumination in the darkened apartment came from through the window. He never closed the shutters. The sight outside of the station helped him relax, despite the situation that he was in trying to come up with a plan to stop the creation of markers forever.

They lived here in safety, but in the back of his mind, Isaac knew that there had to be a final trip back to his real home on Earth to get answers as to why the other markers were made. The main casualties from everything that has happened as far as Isaac knew were the colony on Aegis VII, the Isimura, and Titan Station.

Isaac began to rub the back of his neck in frustration. The bits and pieces of the three years that he lost because of the drugs had finally come back to him. It was a strange feeling for Isaac. He survived a second incident and got more answers for his effort. He didn't feel like a hero at all though. If he was remotely one, he could have saved Nicole from her fate while there was still time.

While thinking about the guilt trip that he was in while on the Sprawl, Isaac failed notice the beep at the front door, indicating that someone was opening it. The motion of the door moving aside caught Isaac's attention. His eyes were fixated on it as he watched the figure step inside in a hooded coat and bag in their right hand. Dropping the bag, the right hand went up and pulled back the hood. Isaac's eyes must have beamed at the sight of Ellie as she unzip the jacket and took it off to place by the door. It didn't take long for her to notice that he was right there.

Ellie had just gotten back about an hour ago and had to make sure to report to her CO. Everything went rather smoothly and the supplies were delivered. Though she enjoyed the change of scenery, she couldn't wait to get home. Making eye contact with each other, Isaac stood up from the chair. In the blink of an eye, Ellie ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Isaac took comfort in knowing that this wasn't his imagination and wrapped his bare arms around her as well.

The need for each others company was quite apparent since they were apart for two weeks and they couldn't seem to let go. They both had goofy grins on their faces when they separated. "Glad to see that you made it back alive."

"Of course I did silly. I'm not some sort of weak little girl. You saw that for yourself on the Sprawl." Isaac nodded his head and led her to sit down at the kitchen counter. Her body visually relaxes and Ellie flexed her hands over her head and stretched the kinks out. "Yeah I did but that doesn't mean that I can't worry about you. We did get out of there together."

Ellie put on a mask of fake frustration. "No thanks to you. It took me ages to find you in the station." The goofing around gave Isaac a feeling a relief as he went behind the counter to get her something to drink. "You know Isaac; I heard that you were really worried about me." "Huh, oh I guess your guys told you I was asking around?" She nodded her head. "Yeah and then some," she laughed as Isaac handed her a cup of coffee which she took gratefully. She downed a bit of her black coffee and felt the warmth fill her body.

Living together as long as they had, they both learned they liked their coffee strong and black to keep them awake and get them through the day. Isaac took his seat again next to her. "So how was the station doing when you gave them the supplies they needed?" "I tell you Isaac, it looked like that place was pretty run down. They were pretty excited to get the stuff that they needed." A smile began to grow on Ellie's features. "They even gave me a few things like food and stuff as gifts."

Ellie got up and went to pick up the bag she dropped off near the door. Lifting the bag, she put it on the table for Isaac who said he would take a look inside later. "Isaac, there was something else." "What's wrong?" "Nothings wrong, it's just that there was something about the people living on the Oracle station and here too. Everyone seems so… happy, like they didn't have a care in the world." Isaac saw a strange look on her face. In all the time he knew her, Isaac had never seen that look on Ellie's face. It was like a look of longing for something.

"Too bad we don't have that kind of luck huh?" "That's just it Isaac," she said as Isaac sat back down. "Why can't we do something like move here after everything is said and done?" A chuckle escape from Isaac lips. "I'm a bit surprised that you would still want to be around me after all the trouble I put you through." "Yeah, the stupid thing is that I had fun with you." It was an awkward conversation to have. Isaac hadn't been in a relationship since Nicole, but if he was smart enough to understand, it sounded like Ellie was beginning to care about him.

This notion began to spawn a huge grin that earned him a light punch in the arm. "Hey, don't be getting dirty thoughts you bastard." She downed the last of her coffee and then stood up to look at the view outside the station. "Seriously Isaac, I know you have to go and stop everything that involves the marker. It's strange; you seem like Superman with the way you get through everything. How do you do it?"

"Well, it wasn't easy." Isaac stood up across from her. "The thing is that I really didn't have a choice when this whole thing started. I went to the Ishimura to find Nicole and I ended up becoming infected. I find myself on the Sprawl being used to build another marker. I have to be able to find a way to stop it right now or more people going to be killed. The only way to find answers will have to be to go to Earth and get them firsthand from the person responsible for the sight. Probably the same person who said that the people onboard the Ishimura were killed in a terrorist attack." Ellie nodded her head, confirming what she told Isaac.

"You know that I'm coming with you right. There's no way you'll get far without a bit of backup." Flashes from the nightmares flashed in his mind that reminded him of the dangers of interfering with this. The thoughts were devastating as he looked at the person that was involved each and every time. The artificial right eye was a constant reminder of how his involvement seems to do more harm then good. "Ellie, I don't know about all of this. I haven't been able to sleep. While you were gone, all I could think about is things that would happen to you. I just don't want anything to happen to you because of me again."

Isaac began to rub the back of his head. He didn't even know why he told her all of this. A look of realization crossed Ellie's face. "So that's why you were so concerned and asking my crew how I was doing when I took off to the station. Isaac, I didn't think you cared." She said with a small smile that he could see with help from light from outside. "Isaac…" she crossed the distance and wrapped her arms around his bare chest "I know you have to do this because you are the only one that knows how to fight it, but I want to be with you."

Isaac wrapped his arms around her and began to softly pet her hair. "I'm afraid that I'm going to get you killed Ellie." He could feel a slight pressure coming from her and noticed that she started hugging him tighter. "Isaac...just promise me that whatever happens, we'll stay together in this to the very end." Looking down into her eyes, Isaac couldn't help but notice the true sincerity in them. At that moment, he knew why he was so worried about her or why he gave a damn about her. "It's funny how people change huh?"

She nodded in agreement as they separated from each other. "Not really, you're still the nerd that I saw when I first saw you," she said jokingly. "Hey, that's hitting below the belt. I don't even have a decent insult for you except that you can do better in following orders." Ellie huffed at that remark, referring to the fact that she came back to the station despite the danger that was occurring. "Well, you really didn't give me any sort of choice Isaac. You just sent me off and told me to be rescue. That really hurt, you know."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry. Then again, it was some pretty impressive flying you did to get me out." She smiled, happy that at least he acknowledged her abilities. "So then it's settled. We'll be sure to make it back alive together, right Isaac?" She stuck her hand out in front of her. "Right Ellie," he said as he took her hand and shook on the pact. Deep inside, both knew the real reason why they needed to get through this, but neither of them would say anything just yet. When it was all over, then they can move forward, together.

A/N: Okay, I saw the small leak for DS 3 and I have to admit, I already don't like the idea of Shadow Isaac. It's still way earlier to say anything, but I just hope that they don't try to do the same thing like they did with Nicole that in my opinion made DS 2 a very interesting experience. Another thing is I hope they don't change the name of the enemies to the hive mind, that's just sillyXD


End file.
